The invention relates to automotive mounting devices, especially resilient elastomeric load dampening mounts which are used between an automobile chassis and a shock/coil spring module. Such modules and attached cushioning devices are usually bolted to the automobile frame. The invention is in a new and innovative resilient mount which is snapped into place and held there by a retainer spring without the need of nuts or bolts. This new mount has excellent load dampening and insulating characteristics to isolate the passenger compartment from undesirable vibrations and noise.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,886,355 and 3,531,144 disclose typical C-shaped retainer rings which are usually used to prevent the movement of shafts or rods. U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,302 discloses a lamp holder which employs a plurality of resilient fingers for gripping the sides of an adjacent opening in which the holder is mounted. For each case, the mount and its retention means are totally different from that of this invention.
Briefly stated, the invention is in a resilient mount which is snap-locked into a frustum-conically shaped opening in a rigid member, such as an automobile frame or chassis. The opening is defined by an annular abutment at its free, outwardly extending end. The mount comprises two rigid, radially spaced sleeves with a resilient, elastomeric annular insert bonded between them. The insert extends outwardly of the radially outermost sleeve and essentially encases this outer sleeve in elastomeric material which is provided with a circumferential groove or recess adjacent the annular abutment. The recess is designed to receive a retainer spring which has a number of arcuately spaced, L-shaped resilient fingers which are designed to snap outwardly of the opening and interlockingly engage the abutment to prevent the mount from exiting the opening in a direction opposed to that in which the mount was inserted into the opening. The elastomeric insert is also provided with an outwardly flowing annular flange to engage the rigid member adjacent the opening and prevent passage of the mount through the opening as it is inserted in the opening a distance where the fingers of the retainer spring deflect outwardly beyond the annular abutment of the opening.